ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has warned that escalating tensions with India could push the region close to nuclear conflict.
In an interview with Geo News on Wednesday, Asif warned that the risk of escalation was “very real” after India conducted airstrikes on Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir earlier that morning.
Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lieutenant-General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Wednesday confirmed that 31 innocent Pakistani civilians were martyred and 57 sustained injuries following Indian attacks.
He added that the rise in casualties was due to India’s relentless ceasefire violations and unprovoked firing along the Line of Control (LoC).
“Any condemnation of India’s strikes is not enough. The strikes of May 6 and 7 expose India’s disgusting face, showing that our enemy is so weak and scared that, like cowards, it targets civilians and population centres in the darkness of night instead of fighting the equivalent army in front of it,” he added.
Khawaja Asif, in his remarks, said this region has faced nuclear threats before, and we could be headed toward another strategic standoff.
“India is going through a major internal crisis, and its aggression is putting the entire region’s peace and security at stake.”
The minister also said a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) could be called at any time, and that the national security process now appears to be in motion.
In a significant military development, Pakistan’s armed forces shot down five Indian fighter jets in retaliatory strikes.
According to ISPR, the downed aircraft included three Rafales, one Su-30MKI, and a MiG-29.
Additionally, Pakistan reportedly destroyed an Indian brigade headquarters, multiple checkposts, and a drone.
Meanwhile Pakistan’s National Security Committee (NSC), which met on Wednesday morning with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the chair has decided that in consonance with Article-51 of the UN Charter, Pakistan reserves the right to respond, in self-defence, at a time, place, and manner of its choosing to avenge the loss of innocent Pakistani lives and blatant violation of its sovereignty.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, on Wednesday briefed the Islamabad-based diplomatic corps on India’s air strikes in Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir during the night of 6 and 7 May 2025.
